Arroyo does it all

No. 3 star: Aroldis Chapman — 1 ip, 32nd save. It was also the 24th consecutive save for Chapman, which set a new single-season club record.

“Just keep on going,” Reds manager Dusty Baker said. “He hadn’t pitched in four or five days. That’s why we saved Broxton yesterday. We were sort of spent in our bullpen. Broxton was fresh throwing 95-97 and Chapman was fresh. It’s always good when you have fresh arms there.”

No. 2 star: Justin Upton, ARI — 2-for-4, HR, 2 RBIs. Upton took Bronson Arroyo deep to LF in the second inning and had a RBI single in the fourth.

No. 1 star: Bronson Arroyo — 6 ip, 5 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 3 K, 99 pitches/65 strikes. Arroyo, who is 4-0 with a 2.86 ERA over his last four starts, also hit the game-winning HR in the top of the sixth, which came after both a very solid eight-pitch at-bat and a correctly overturned call by the umpires. The ball originally appeared to hit the top of the ball and was waved off for a homer. Instant replay showed that it hit a railing beyond the fence. It was Arroyo’s sixth career homer.

“We just knew that ball ricocheted too hard to just hit off the wall there,” Baker said. “Thank God for instant replay. That was the game winner.”

Quote:

“Things are kind of working out a little bit. I’ve been feeling good but I’ve been feeling good all year. Early on, I just didn’t get some breaks or some runs in key situations. Lately, I’m getting runs late in the game when you need them to give you a chance to hold the lead and give it to the bullpen. Sometimes things just have to fall into place and they’ve been falling into place the last six weeks.” — Arroyo on his recent streak on the mound.

Heisey hasn’t been given the everyday chance that Stubbs has. I know he platooned earlier in the year, but it’s not the same. Stubbs needs benched. I am for moving Bruce to center and Frazier to right when Votto comes back. GO REDS!!

If our manager listened to the fans, we wouldn’t have Latos anymore, Rolen would have retired a couple of months ago, Bailey would be in the pen, and Chapman would be in the rotation. Oh and Billy Hamilton would have 37 errors at Short.
Curt

Wow Curt. Often fans do have a better perspective than the managers. Managers make close contact with the players and sometimes that clouds their judgement. I think watching the interaction between Dusty and Drew Stubbs it has taken on almost a father/son type relationship. Dusty is hurting just as bad. Reality needs to step in and exercise some tough love. Heisey is a much better hitter than Stubbs, look at the minor league numbers look at the major league numbers. You can’t say Heisey is just as bad a hitter because he is not. What is the logic of Dusty not starting Heisey more often over Stubbs? Only one in that he has a bond with Stubbs and already an investment in his career that he does not have with Heisey.

The Reds would be fortunate to have Bailey in the pen. Everyone saw Chapman as a start coming in. Baker, Jocketty, the whole franchise. The original design was to slowly work him into the starting rotation. So of course people are going to speculate what could have been. I’m happy we have Chapman as a reliever and I for one hope that they keep him there.

On Billy Hamilton…. speed cannot be taught. No he should not be a starter for us until he gets more training under his belt. Yes, he could succeed as a pinch hitter/pinch runner.

Sorry, I just think that the reds management has handled this season perfectly, except that I would have left Phillips in the leadoff spot all year. And put Stubbs at 7 and Cozart at the 2 hole. But I can’t complain, a game out of the best record in baseball.
Curt

Archives

Meta

The following are trademarks or service marks of Major League Baseball entities and may be used only with permission of Major League Baseball Properties, Inc. or the relevant Major League Baseball entity: Major League, Major League Baseball, MLB, the silhouetted batter logo, World Series, National League, American League, Division Series, League Championship Series, All-Star Game, and the names, nicknames, logos, uniform designs, color combinations, and slogans designating the Major League Baseball clubs and entities, and their respective mascots, events and exhibitions.